BATTLEFORDS – Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers has issued a public alert for Lucas Aaron Oakes, 29, of Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, who is now wanted for being unlawfully at large following his release from prison in July.
Oakes was sentenced in April 2022 to 7.5 years in prison. With enhanced credit for time served prior to trial, he had approximately five years remaining on his sentence at the time of sentencing.
Court heard the charges stemmed from a July 2020 incident that began with a shooting on Onion Lake Cree Nation. A man was hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries after Oakes shot him in the stomach. At the time he was under weapons and prohibition orders.
Following the shooting, Oakes and Jesse Leigh Heathen fled south to Lloydminster, and tried carjacking two vehicles at gunpoint after they had crashed their vehicle. They were able to steal a truck from an individual in their third armed carjacking attempt.
RCMP in Alberta and Saskatchewan started two pursuits but called off both over public safety concerns. At one point the suspect vehicle drove into oncoming traffic in the westbound lanes on Hwy 16, which is a four-lane divided highway.
Approximately two hours later, officers from Maidstone RCMP got a call about a stolen truck near the junction of Hwy 16 and Hwy 303. The vehicle was located in Lloydminster later that day and a woman who had been with them was arrested.
A half-hour later, Maidstone RCMP got a report that a truck was stuck near Hillmond. No one was at the vehicle when police arrived but they soon found Oakes and Heathen walking on a nearby road.
Oakes was charged with theft of a truck, robbery using a firearm, discharge of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, assault, uttering threats and flight from police. Oakes was also charged with 15 additional offences, including seven charges in connection to the shooting of the man on Onion Lake Cree Nation. Oakes pleaded guilty to nine charges and the remaining charges were withdrawn by the Crown.
In July 2023, Heathen was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison. He was given 1,617 days enhanced credit for the 1,078 days he served while waiting for trial. This meant he had 392 days left to serve at the time of his sentencing.
Parole conditions
The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) has imposed a residency condition and several special conditions on Oakes's statutory release.
CSC said he is assessed as being likely to commit a violent offence prior to warrant expiry date so a residency condition was imposed as a condition of his statutory release, along with several stringent conditions such as not using drugs or alcohol, not to associate with anyone involved in criminal activity or gangs, and follow a treatment plan arranged by his parole supervisor in the areas of substance abuse, unresolved trauma, and emotions management.
Oakes’s statutory release included a curfew from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., except for employment, vocational or educational training.
According to Crime Stoppers, Oakes’s last known location was Regina.
If you see him do not approach. If anyone knows anything about his current location and wishes to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip to www.p3tips.com/206.
